AutoStore

What it does

AutoStore is a goods-to-person robotic storage and retrieval system where robots travel on top of a dense grid of bins, retrieving items and delivering them to workstation ports where human workers pick orders. The AutoStore grid system dramatically increases storage density compared to traditional shelving - the same floor space holds significantly more SKUs. AI and machine learning optimize robot routing, bin sequencing, and workstation assignment to maximize throughput. AutoStore is particularly suited for high-SKU operations with variable order profiles, such as e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and grocery fulfillment.

Strengths

• Mid-market e-commerce and specialty retailers use AutoStore to solve a storage density problem - fitting more inventory into expensive warehouse space while improving pick accuracy and throughput.
• Large retailers, pharmaceutical distributors, and grocery operators use AutoStore grids at scale - sometimes thousands of robots across purpose-built facilities - to handle high-volume, high-SKU fulfillment with precision and speed.
• AutoStore is a goods-to-person robotic storage and retrieval system where robots travel on top of a dense grid of bins, retrieving items and delivering them to workstation ports where human workers pick orders.

Watch-outs

• Extremely high upfront capital cost: AutoStore grid installations represent a seven-figure hardware investment — the economics require significant order volume and a long time horizon to reach positive ROI.
• Grid size is fixed at installation: Unlike conveyor-based systems, AutoStore grids are difficult to expand or reconfigure after installation — capacity planning at deployment time is critical and errors are expensive.
• Requires specific facility requirements: The grid system has height, floor load, and environmental requirements that not all warehouse facilities can accommodate — site assessment is a prerequisite to any deployment.

Pricing

Capital-intensive - AutoStore grids are sold as hardware installations, not as a service. Total system cost depends on grid size, number of robots, and number of workstation ports. Installations typically start in the low seven figures and scale significantly for large deployments. Sold through a network of certified system integrators.